‘KBM’s English HS to safeguard its primary pupils’

MARGAO: The move by the Konkani Bhasha Mandal (KBM) to start an English-medium high school has found support from protagonists of the Konkani movement. Stating that the move was prompted by the desire to enable students of Konkani-medium primary schools to have easy access to quality high school education, leaders of the Konkani movement aver that though the medium of instruction of the school would be English, it would have a "distinct Konkani touch and flavor."

It may be noted that the KBM, which has been running a Konkani-medium primary school in Margao for over three decades, had recently disclosed its plans to start a high school in English medium from the coming academic year. Dismissing all criticism from certain quarters as "baseless" and "unfounded", the president of the KBM, Prashant Naik, said that the English-medium high school of the KBM would safeguard and enrich the future of the students educated in KBM's Konkani-medium primary school.

"As most of the English medium schools in Margao have started their own primary schools, KBM primary school students had to struggle to get admission in those schools as they were bound to give admission to their own students passing out from the primary section. As a result, the enrollment in our primary school has sharply dwindled over the last few years. From 150 to 170 students 4-5 years ago, this year we have not more than 100 students in our primary school. In the fourth standard, the number has gone down to just 15 from over 40 students five years back. We had to take some bold decisions, lest we were compelled to shut down the school," Naik said.

This issue has nothing to do with the controversy regarding the medium of instruction in primary schools, Naik said. "There is no link to the medium of instruction issue nor can it be construed that our students are finding it difficult to get admissions in high schools because our teaching is bad.

No way. Our students have excelled in high school and higher secondary levels not only in academics but extra-curricular activities as well. It is only because we have to retain our primary school that we are starting a high school," Naik said.

Konkani protagonists view the KBM's move as a step towards enriching and emboldening the Konkani movement. Founder member of KBM and Konkani writer, Hema Naik, who is among the leading lights of the Konkani movement, is of the view that the KBM-school would re-define standards of education in the state. "It's a step in the right direction. In fact, the project was in the pipeline for the last few years. Some may very well question why KBM didn't open a Konkani medium high school. But the idea was not practical as hardly any parent would have sent their children to Konkani-medium high school. In this KBM high school, though the medium of instruction would be English, it would have a distinct and vibrant Konkani culture. It would be an ideal English-medium high school," Naik told TOI.

Echoing Naik's views, noted Konkani writer Damodar Mauzo, said that the setting up of an English-medium high school by the KBM was a "logical culmination of its previous venture."

"It is a step towards consolidation of primary education in Konkani. As students passing out from its Konkani-medium primary school would now find secured admission in higher standards, more and more parents would be encouraged to send their children to its Konkani-medium primary school," Mauzo said.

Taking the idea further, Naik advocated the need to set up more number of Konkani-medium primary schools in the villages across Goa.

"Attempts are already underway to open new Konkani-medium primary schools. This will definitely strengthen the Konkani movement," Naik said.